In Zeami Motokiyo's Noh play Atsumori, he tells the story of Atsumori seen in Heiki Monogatari. The story revolves around the young Taira no Atsumori who was killed at the age of fifteen by Kumagai of the Minamoto clan during the Genpei War in Ichinotani. Atsumori was left behind and spotted by Kumagai along the coast of Suma. Kumagai felt sorry for Atsumori because he was around the same age as one of his sons and was torn between killing him or not. He decides to kill Atsumori because if he didn't, someone else from his clan would. He thought it would be better for him to do so because he would pray for Atsumori after he died. Shortly after killing Atsumori, Kumagai renounces his ways and becomes a monk named Rensho and returns to Ichinotani to pay homage and pray for Atsumori's soul. This play is a continuation of Heike Monogatari as it tells the story of Kumagai and what he encounters in his new life as a monk while emphasizing the importance of Buddhist values, such as non-attachment and karma, and the transformation of the character of the warrior into the priest and the enemy. friend.Rensho appears in the first scene, recounting why he decided to become a monk and the reason he is revisiting the Suma Coast. He speaks of a "wandering moon" and "crashing waves" which are two Buddhist symbolisms for a traveling monk and a cyclical life. As the waves constantly return to the shore, Rensho returns to Suma because he is forced to pray for Atsumori's soul. Rensho abandoned his old life and continued his life as a monk because he feels he owes it to Atsumori to pray for him and ensure that he can achieve salvation. Upon meeting the youth, Rensho learns that he too is returning to Suma. shore e...... middle of paper ...... she can find her way out of the "Burning Mansions gate". The Burning Mansion refers to the lotus sutra which symbolizes desire. Even though the monk prays for Lady Rokujo, she must ultimately find a way out of the burning mansion on her own and give up her desire for Genji, which binds her. This piece gives a glimpse of Lady Rokujo who is not seen in The Tale of Genji and the addition of Buddhism is also very emphasized. Lady Rokujo serves to demonstrate how karma eventually catches up with us and how we must constantly follow Buddhist belief because sometimes prayer is not enough. She is also a Buddhist role model like Atsumori's characters because if one follows the Buddhist belief, they too can find peace. Works Cited Tyler, Royall. Japanese Noh dramas. London: Penguin, 2004. Print.